i have this headcanon where Steve and/or Bucky like to call Tony “Bambi” because of his big, beautiful brown eyes and they love how Tony gets flustered because no one’s ever given him a sweet nickname before and i jUST WANT TO PUNCH A WALL

Oh God. I don’t know if I just thought of the most Hilarious Prompt idea or the most Horrifying.

You know that meme going around: STOP TELLING PEOPLE I AM DEAD! Its like I can still hear their voice?

Well it inspired me. Probably in the worst of ways.

Imagine if Tony & Steve meet and Steve asks Tony on a date, but Steve’s still wearing his wedding ring. So he tries to explain that Bucky is on tour, in the marines right now, but they have an arrangement that if the other ever found someone worth adding to their relationship they’d take the chance. But all Steve gets out is that hes gone (or something like that) and Tony (jumping to conclusions) says “say no more” thinking Bucky has passed away and Steve can’t bare to move on.

Steve’s so relieved that he doesn’t have to explain further, thinking that Tony understands what hes getting into. (an eventual joint relationship with them)

So Steve writes Bucky telling him all about Tony and how he cant wait till Bucky meets him. Bucky is sort of laughing at him when he writes back, saying hes looking forward to the man his Husband thinks would be a good fit for them both.

So Steve of course talks to Tony about Bucky all the time. Which Tony respects, cause how could Steve not talk about his past love? And of course fate intervenes every moment that would clarify Bucky is still alive and still very in love with Steve. (and quickly falling for Tony, after Steve starts telling all these funny stories and waxing poetic)

Tony of course is falling in love with them both (even though Bucky is gone and he feels really guilty about it cause god that makes him such a creep.)

Then Bucky gets in the an accident, he looses his arm and suddenly hes getting Honorably Discharged. Suddenly his on the road home to Stevie and this new man who sounds so wonderful, but hes not ready to face them yet, because this wasn’t supposed to happen. So he stays for some heavy post-op PT and therapy.

So Steve just cries to Tony all horrified saying “Bucky…” And then breaks down in tears before explains what happened. And Tony just thinks its a bad night and comforts him and mourns a little too for the great man he thinks hes never going to meet.

Fate intervenes some more keeping Tony from realizing, that this talk about Bucky loosing his arm isn’t in past tense and every time Steve tries to talk about Bucky's recovery (wishing he could come home so he could help) they get interrupted by Sam and Natasha.

Tony is starting to get confused cause people are starting to talk about Bucky in present tense, but he shrugs it off as nostalgia. Which just makes him wish more that he could meet this legend.

Bucky begins to improve and Steve gets better and things are getting better. Finally after a long stint with PT and therapy, Bucky is ready to come home.

Steve’s excited and nervous and worried, thinking Tony knows whats going on and is excited and nervous about Bucky too.

Meanwhile Tony is panicking cause how can he be falling in love with a dead man and said mans widowed husband. He feels like his betraying someone hes never met and hes nervous to tell Steve cause he doesn’t want Steve to hate him.

So one day in the afternoon Tony is sitting in the living room where hes talking to Bucky’s picture, saying shit like I love him so much and I can’t help, but fall in love with you too and I know that seems wrong, because we never met. But I hope that I am enough for Steve, that I could have been enough for you too.

That’s when Bucky decides to interrupt (who only heard the last part) with a blush and a smile leaning on the door jam: “Any man who can enthrall Stevie is man enough for me.” All cocky (even if its a little shaky) and flirty n’ shit.

And Tony just shrieks in fright, faints. Bucky of course is self concussion thinking it because of the arm. Steve’s furious and confused. Until Tony wakes up and starts yelling at Steve about how “you said he was dead” “i thought he’d passed away, that you hadn’t moved/having trouble moving on” “i thought i was falling love with dead man and I was feeling so fucking guilty for being such a creep” all high pitched and panicked. ” and then he just shows up..” and hes stuttering and pale.

And Bucky who is relieved that this isn’t some horrible reaction to his arm, just starts busting up laughing, and says between breaths “Stevie, stop going around telling people I am dead. I am right here.” and then he starts laughing again because only fucking Steve would get this shit all twisted around. Such a fucking punk.” he says sounding fond and exasperated.

Steve’s just standing there horrified. “Buck its not funny.”

Which makes him laugh harder and then he grins all sexy at Tony, “Hi I am Steve’s, not-dead husband, and we’d like to date you.”

Then chaos and a happy ending ensue from there.

Natasha enjoys the hell out of telling this story on their Wedding day.